Polar Plunge 2010

My sister Aimee is going to school to become a special education teacher. She is wonderful with "her kids" that she works with now and is going to be the best special ed teacher ever! She decided to start volunteering for the Special Olympics and when she went to their website she found this Polar Plunge fundraiser they do every year. The goal is to get people to pledge money for you to jump into a frozen lake. Crazy right? So Aimee, Jordan (our brother), and I decided to do it together. We woke up early on a Saturday and got to Deer Creek Reservoir in Heber at 9 am. The temperature gauge on the car said 19 degrees outside and I began to wonder what in the heck we were thinking.  Then we walked down to check out what we'd be jumping into. They had cut huge blocks of ice out and had a ladder on the other side of the hole for us to climb out on. The water in the hole was already getting a film of ice on the top. It was really cold already and we were still dry! After registration they had a costume contest, Aimee was Pippi Longstockings, there was a Mr. Clean, a leprechan, a figure skater, and a whole bunch more. Then we all walked down to the hole. There was a big crowd around and they read our names one at a time, taking turns jumping in. It was fantastic cheering everyone on as they took the plunge. I had asked if Aimee, Jordan, and I could go together so finally she called our names and it was our turn. Walking up to the hole together I held my pants up so they wouldn't get wet, don't ask me why, just habit I guess. I could see my parents and Duffy and Maisy on the other side thinking we were nuts. A few seconds later we all jumped in together. It was instantly cold. Imagine thousands of needles poking into your skin, your lungs freezing up, and being barely able to move, it was cold! I didn't go all the way under like Aimee and Jordan did but next year I promise I will. Jordan hit the ladder first (so much for ladies first) and I was saying "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!" I was next and got about halfway out before I bailed out onto the ice so Aimee could get on the ladder. I still have a huge bruise on my knee! The hole was not close at all to the trailers where we were getting dressed so we had to run, soaking wet about the length of half a football field to get dressed. There was only one safe place to get onto the boat ramp we had to walk up so there was a huge traffic jam of dry people and I yelled "Seriously?!?" Finally some of them let us through, I was freezing by this point. By the time we got to the trailer my feet literally felt like blocks of ice clumsily tromping along. Once inside the trailer and semi-dry though I was really surprised at how not-cold I was. The whole experience was absolutely amazing and I plan to make it a tradition. There were several special needs kids there and a few even took the plunge, it was great to see them there supporting us. What a life experience, there aren't too many people who can say they have jumped into a frozen lake (on purpose especially). Can't wait until next year!!!